


After the beach walk

by AmandaBecker



Series: What if? [4]
Category: Sanditon (TV 2019), Sanditon - Jane Austen
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-15
Updated: 2019-12-12
Packaged: 2021-01-31 05:31:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21441013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmandaBecker/pseuds/AmandaBecker
Summary: What if.... Admiral Heywood had to help break crabs after the beach walk?
Relationships: Charlotte Heywood & Sidney Parker, Charlotte Heywood/Sidney Parker
Series: What if? [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1544161
Comments: 24
Kudos: 90





	1. Admiral Heywood breaks crabs

**Author's Note:**

> ...this is a reminder of my mother's childhood in the summers on the north sea.

After the walk on the beach the parker family and Charlotte arrived at Trafalger House.  
The fishermen was there and brought the freshly caught crabs Mary had ordered this morning.

„Then we can start strip them down right away.“ She said to the children, who were not enthusiastic, exept Henry. Sidney told them he would stay to help. Charlotte was curious what’s going on and asked if she could join them. 

„Only if you would like to get your hands dirty.“ Mary said with a smirk.  
„this I do it with pleasure.“ Sidney looked at her with an unreadable expression and handed her an apron.  
„I belive you do.“ Blushing she took the apron off his hand and as their hands touched lightly her eyes fluttered by this smal but confusing feeling which crawled over her arm directly to her heart, which twitched by the look in his eyes.  
„What do you mean?“ breathing slowly to calm her heart she tried to fathom his comment, she seemed missing something.  
„I think you are one of this ladies, who has no problem getting dirty.“ He could not belive what he was saying, it sounds so... innocent but means so much more in his head. Sidney shooke his head and smiled his sweet smile and Charlotte felt her cheeks burning more. 

Henry led her out to the smal herb garden, behind the kitchen. There was a table and a few chairs set. Sidney wore the basket full of litte crabs outside and put it on the table. Mary joined them to brought bowls and towels, a bowl filled with water and a few lemons.

„So you have to take them like this to fix the crab's head between your thumb and index finger - do not squeeze.“ She showed it in front of Charlottes face and Sidney was distracted soaking up all her impressions, he was caught by Henry. 

„Ha, you have to learn it again, that’s why I will win this time!“ the boy screamed.  
„With the other hand grab the backside and turn without pressure until the shell breaks open in the middle.“ Mary explained to a concentraiting Charlotte who now carefully held the rear half of the crab shell by its tail and pulled it off the crab meat like Mary ordered. She smiled that she was able to remove the the rest of it successfully.  
„Don't throw it away we can cook a soup from the shells!“ Mary explained further and Charlotte grimaced.

„Here are the bowls for the shells, here for the meat.“ And turned to Sidney she ordered him to not feed the cats, which were suddenly in the garden and surronded the table in smal distance. Mary and the girls went inside to prepear the rest for their meal. After they worked in silence for a moment Henry said to his uncle,  
„Mother is the best cook!“  
„Yes, she is. I like it when I can help her.“  
„Do you?“ Charlotte asked him suprised.  
„Yes. It was something our mother was doing for special days.“ A light sad expression fell over his face, which was bathed in a golden tone of the setting sun. His eyes lifted from his work and Charlotte was cought starring at him. A little nervous of his starring-back. She tried to concentrade of the task in hand, but she failed. Without a word he stood walked over to her and took her hand in his to show her how to remove the tail. But she was just overwehelmed of the heat he emitted. Charlotte couldn’t breath and her hands were shaking. When he noticed that and his incredible doing, he let her go, straight up and set down on his own chair, deep in thoughts and without looking to her.

„I’m done, my bowl is full until overflowing.“ Henry laughed, and after Sidney spoke his congratulations, he went inside. A akward silence streched between them, there were only the smal sounds to listen. 

The crack of the shells, the chirp of the crickets, any little sounds of small animals in the bushes, the meow of the cats. And their breathing. It was quiet at the beginning, all the times they looked at each other without being watched. It was only one small moment they caught each others eye and they didn’t move.  
Their gace locked and it seamed like hours. Charlotte heart was beating so loud she wondered if he would hear it, and she opened her mouth to say something, but she didn’t know what she could say. So he was obliged to do in this low dark voice. 

„Forgive me.“ She looked down on her hands and her question was berely a whisper.  
„For what?“Amazed he smiled at her.  
„For touching you.“ he explained and added even quieter „without permission.“  
Her head was spinning about the answers, it seemed to mean so much more, what he didn't say.  
„If you teach me something, you have my permission.“ she squeezed her eyes shut, because this was something she would NOT tell him. Sidney chuckled, he understood her bewilderment very good indeed. He was feeling the same.  
They looked at each other with a lot of feelings in their eyes and were both about to say something as Mary came out.

„It’s already dark.“ She took a look in the bowls.  
„Oh you did well Charlotte, for your first time. Sidney, you have to share second place with Charlotte. You’re probably out of practice.“  
Not only in this, he thought.  
„Show her how to clean herself.“ Mary disapeared inside again and he was nervous. He sliced the lemon and wiped over his fingers, he handed her a slice and as their fingers touched, it was the same strange feeling like before. It was a strong pull inside of his body, and simultaneously pulling to her. She took the lemon and wiped over her fingers as her face twisted in pain.  
„Ouch,“  
„Did you cut yourself at the shells? maybe you should.. ?“ he began but the rest of his sentence got stuck in his throat, as he saw her stucked her finger in her mouth and licked the lemon juice off. His heart was hammering and a warmth erupt in his belly. Sidney couldn’t look away, althought he knew he should.  
Certainly his look on her lips, her rosy, moist lips, oh her very kissable lips - was not only unseemly but also dangerous. Dangerous, because she would catch him and detected his dark fantasies in one moment and would run away as fast as she could.

But his fear seemed unfounded as she looked up at him with darken doe eyes and suck her bottom lip in.  
He couldn’t breath.  
He knew he has to kiss her. Immediately. 

Sidney leaped up and came around the table as she stood up as well. A smal smile, a disbeliving shake of the heads, a breath of wind twirled her hair in her face, the smell of lemon, a heartbeat, a gasp for air. 

They stepped closer...


	2. the scent of lemons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> His warm breath mixed with the cold air around her and tickled her face. The scent of lemon surrounded them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to do this.

They were so close, there wasn't even a step between them. The heat from him made her tremble.  
But he didn't notice it, because he was too captivated by her gaze.  
Sidney took a small step further towards her and slowly bent his head down to her.  
His warm breath mixed with the cold air around her and tickled her face.  
The scent of lemon surrounded them. 

The crackling between them could almost be heard. It slowly stroked across her arms and crept up her neck.  
The heat settled in her cheeks and her heart drummed against her chest.  
Charlotte lost herself in the deep of his gaze. Intense. Dark and intoxicating.  
As he lowered his head even closer, her gaze blurred and she had to close her eyes.

No one could stop him from doing it now. Although he knew at the back of his mind, that they could be disturbed at any time.  
It was shocking and invigorating at the same time to know that they could get caught.  
What would that mean? 

The sounds of the evening, the scratching of the little animals in the bushes, the light wind ruffling her hair and inflating her dress.  
The rustle of the fabric. The slight toddled footsteps of the cats sneaking around at their feet. The drumming of his heart in his chest.  
The sound of rushing blood in his ears. Her quick breathing. Everything mixed into a voice in his head.  
Do it. Do it!

He leaned closer. Her eyes were closed. It would be her first kiss. He didn't know for sure, but as stiff as she stood there.  
In expectation. He was not allowed to screw it up. Leaning even closer, his nose grazed her tender warm cheek.  
Charlotte gasped softly for air, her lips slightly open. Sidney came closer.  
Closed his eyes and then....

Silence. Calmth. Warmth. 

With a deep thump his heart began to beat again.  
This softness. Delicate. And still strong.

He pressed his lips against hers. Not moving. Waiting.  
When she seemed to detach a little from him, he caughed her lips again. Softly.  
He couldn't let her go! A barely audible whimper was heard. 

Charlotte swayed slightly. Looking for hold, her hand found its place on his chest.  
Warm and strong. His drumming heart could be felt through his vest.  
She moved her lips as he had moved his before.

Then Sidney had to take a deep breath. But his lips didn't leave hers. Gently he put a hand on her cheek. She moaned softly at the contact. This noise ignited so much heat in him that he had to control himself not to grab her any harder.

The other hand was slightly on her waist. And now slided slowly and cautiously to the next position. Broad and warm his hand lay on her lower back.  
Pressing lightly.

Charlotte gasped once more for air and he released his lips slightly from hers.  
But she didn't let him get far and pressed her mouth a little clumsy but tenderly back on his.

It got warmer and...more urgent. His hand on her back pressed her closer to him.  
A soft groan trapped in her throat cleared the way and that noise almost drove him mad.  
Slowly he tilted his head to deepen the kiss. Her tender hand clawed into his vest and slightly scratched his heated skin underneath.

This time, it was Sidney who moaned, though it was almost a whimper. Like he was in pain. And so he was.  
He had to push her even closer to himself to relieve the aching urge.

Charlotte wrapped her other arm around his middle.  
At first she pressed her palm against his back, but as he leaned closer to her, her little delicate hand, slid under the fabric of his vest. 

Sighing, they detached lighly from each other. The sensation was almost unbearable.  
This warmth that this little tender hand, no, this tender little person in him triggered! 

Actually, he accidentally kissed the skin next to her mouth. And then wandered further over her cheek.  
Slowly. Over her jaw.

His fingers caressed her neck tenderly. Up to the hollow on her shoulder. While his lips on the other side did the same.  
He took his time. To caress her tender skin. Stroking his nose over her tender skin. Spreading light kisses under her ear.  
There he paused and let the vibration of her heartbeat pass over to his lips. It tickled.  
Softly and lovingly he had his tongue stroked over it.

With the sensation that his damp warm tongue triggered on her neck, Charlotte thought she would faint. A heat flowed through her. Her knees yielded slightly and she couldn't help but crowd closer to him.

The hand on his back grasped more strongly into the soft fabric of his thin shirt and she felt his hot skin vibrate.  
Slowly, the fingers on his chest detached from the vest's fabric, which had crumpled under her clawing grip, and slowly moved up.  
She was literally clinged to him and her fine fingers found a small piece of skin.  
Between the collar of his shirt and his tie.

This sensation shocked her and she couldn't help whimpering. Sidney tighed his grip. Their bodies were pressed so close together, he could clearly feel every single one of her curves. It was clear to him that she could also feel his.... 

His lips found the way to her clavicles. Kissing the tender skin of her throat, his hands wandered on.His left hand slid into her curls. While gently scraping his fingernails over her scalp. Moaning she pressed her lips to the spot on his neck where her fingers touched the skin before.Her lips pressed into his skin like branded.

The hand on her back slid back onto her waist and his fingers clawed so tightly into the fabric of her dress. He would tear it if someone wanted to detache him from her.

Her head lay on his chest. Above his hammering heart. Sidney pressed her tightly to him. Trying to calm down, Sidney leaned his face against her hair. The scent of lemons and sea surrounded him like a blissful breeze.

Charlotte kept her eyes closed, although she felt tears tingling behind them.  
She had never been so full of happiness in her whole life. She could burst on the spot.  
She felt free and secure, tightly clasped and yet detached.  
The heat in her slowly laid itself around her like a warm blanket and let her breathe more calmly again. 

Cuddling into Sidney she sighed and he firmed his grip.

She had her thin arms wrapped around his middle and pressed her body tenderly into his. They held each other tight. Never would he have thought he could feel this.....

Happiness. 

As this feeling settled in his heart, a realization flashed through him that also drove tears into his eyes. In his arms he held Miss Heywood. Charlotte.

The love of his life.


End file.
